


Garlands

by QuillMind



Series: Spring-a-Fling-a-Ling! [13]
Category: Drifters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Elf Culture & Customs, Elf/Human Relationship(s), Elves, F/M, Flowers, Fluff, Language of Flowers, Other, Reader-Insert, Romance, Spring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-04-30 21:03:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14505429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuillMind/pseuds/QuillMind
Summary: With spring finally here, the elves celebrate their flower festival.  One of their traditions includes gifting flower garlands to a loved one, with the flowers used representing their feelings toward the recipient.  Shara learns that sometimes just one isn't enough.





	Garlands

**Author's Note:**

> **From the prompt: "Flower festival with Shara teaching us that Spring is a time of rebirth, hope, and love (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)"**
> 
>  
> 
> This also serves as a sequel of sorts to ["Angel Under The Stars!"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13016052)

Every spring, Shara told you, the elves celebrated the flower festival to mark the coming of new life and possibility to the land.  Herbs were gathered to make medicine, and nettles cut to weave and turn into cloth. Houses got adorned with bunches of blooms to scent them and expel bad spirits.  The highlight, however, was where everyone picked flowers to create a gift for a friend or loved one. Children typically made crowns for their parents and siblings, and a recently-wed couple might receive some in blessing for fertility.  

Marsha and Mark were ecstatic to show you the reed flutes they made and sample the freshly-baked acorn cakes, so for a while you didn’t miss Shara in all the hubbub.  With so much going on between the other Drifters liberation the elves and dwarves, this festival felt like a necessary luxury to let everyone unwind from all the hectic battles.  

After making grass whistles with the other few elf children and watching over a nest of newborn ducklings, you heard Shara call for you and turned to face him.  In his hands were multiple garlands, each made from only one type of flower and all crafted with impressive skill and care. You stared wide-eyed as he pointed to each one and explained them to you: daisies for innocence, dandelions for faithfulness, ivy for affection, sweet peas for blissful pleasure, and ranunculus for radiance.  He showed you a few more, but you were honestly too distracted with how beautiful they are to pay attention. 

“You made all of these?” you asked in wonder, reaching out gingerly but afraid to touch for fear of bruising the flowers.  

“I did,” he replied.  “And they’re for you.”  Then he raised his arms above your head and lowered all the garlands to sit around your neck, except for a small crown of lily of the valley that rested on your head.  

“Wh--wait, Shara, I can’t take these, it’s too many!” you cried, though you were conflicted by the wonderful perfume of the garlands wafting into your nose.  

“Please do,” he said softly, bringing up his now free hands to cup your cheeks.  “I meant to make only one, but just one type of flower isn’t enough to represent everything I feel for you.”

It was only then that you noticed the crowd of elves around you, grinning and calling out encouragement.  Off to the side you even saw Yoichi, Nobunaga and Toyohisa; the latter two looked somewhat bored and uncomfortable, but when they met your eyes they nodded and gave you approving smiles.  

“Don’t leave a man hanging!” Nobunaga barked good-naturedly.  “You gonna take him or not!?” 

You blushed at those blunt words but gained some strength from them.  Gazing up at Shara again, you stood on your toes and kissed him. His lips curved into a smile as he kissed back, and you felt a tension flow away from him--he had been more nervous than he let on.  

The crowd cheered.  Marsha, Mark and the other children ran circles around you with strands of ivy so that you were tied together, a gesture done to ensure a couple’s everlasting bond.  

It’s the best spring of your life.

**Author's Note:**

> Come git your flower crowns at **[Tumblr!](https://quillmind.tumblr.com/)**


End file.
